Modular concrete unit and an assembly thereof

ABSTRACT

A modular concrete unit for load-bearing surfaces, and a concrete assembly having at least two modular concrete units connected by a hinging attachment. The modular unit has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least three side walls extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The side walls of each modular unit include at least one engagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboring modular unit. The concrete assembly made from at least two modular units further includes at least one hinge pin connecting the engagement means of a first concrete unit and the engagement means of a second concrete unit.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a modular concrete unit, and moreparticularly to a concrete unit for use in paved load-bearing surfaces,such as roads, parking lots, driveways, walkways, roundabouts, and thelike. The present disclosure also relates to a concrete assembly madefrom the modular concrete units.

BACKGROUND

The continuous paving with concrete or asphalt is a well known method ofproducing hard surfaces for use in the transportation industry, as wellas for parking lots and the like, where high loads are anticipated. Manylocal and arterial roads, including freeways, as well as sidewalks,driveways, parking lots and bridge decks are built with concrete orasphalt pavement.

Despite its versatility, contiguous concrete paving presents somechallenges. For example, typically concrete installation and finishingrequires a number of on-site operations with a multitude of specializedpieces of equipment and corresponding labour, these might includeform-working, mixture preparation, pavement pouring or laying, curingand smoothing or texturing. Similarly, for continuous asphalt paving,there are challenges. For example typically asphalt installation andfinishing requires a number of on-site operations with a multitude ofspecialized pieces of equipment and corresponding labour, these mightinclude old pavement removal and recycling, mixture preparation,pavement pouring or laying and compacting. The time required forcompleting the construction is directly translated to road closure andshutting-off of water, gas and other utilities, thereby addinginconvenience to the drivers and surrounding property owners.Furthermore, in the event of damage to the pavement, or the need toaccess some sub-surface utility, the destruction-then-reconstructionprocedure may unnecessarily affect the portion of the pavement which isstill in good condition.

Furthermore, continuous paved surfaces are susceptible to deterioration,such as cracking, due to high loads and/or adverse weather and/or salt.Small failures tend to rapidly become large failures causing thelifetime of the road to decrease.

Considering the challenges inherent in current concrete and asphaltpaving practice, one alternative would be providingfactory-manufactured, precast modular concrete slabs.

Precast concrete slabs have been widely used as a common structuralelement in modern buildings. The slabs have also been used forload-bearing surfaces and provide certain advantages over poured inplace concrete. For example, precast concrete slabs provide advantagesin terms of cost and installation. The time to develop high strengthconcrete is typically 28 days, so poured-in-place systems cannot be putinto service until that time has elapsed.

Usually, the use of precast concrete in load-bearing surfaces has beenlimited to small areas, such as a patios and sidewalks. Installation ofslabs in such an application commonly involves using jointing material(e.g., fine sand) which is poured in all the gaps between the installedslabs. The jointing material effectively locks the slabs together toreduce shifting and protects the slabs from edge chipping or cracking.

However, it has been recognized in the art that installation of precastconcrete slabs must take into account relative movement, as well asexpansion and contraction of the slabs caused by various internal andexternal forces. For this reason, efforts have been made to place theslabs loosely adjacent one another to permit movement, or by groutingthe clearance between the slabs with a material which will readilyexpand or contract.

Others have made attempts to permit the natural relative movement ofslabs by embedding hooked rods within a slab, which are received bycavities formed in an adjacent slab, thereby providing a scissor actionbetween the slabs (U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,562). Although these efforts areaimed at addressing the movement between the slabs, more improvementsare desired to produce a structure which is simpler in design and whichprovides more convenience in installation and replacement.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an improved concretestructure.

SUMMARY

Modular concrete units and concrete assemblies are disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, a modular concrete unit is provided which has a topsurface; a bottom surface, and at least three side walls extendingbetween the top and bottom surfaces. The side walls include at least oneengagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboringconcrete unit.

The engagement means may comprise a projection extending outwardly fromthe side wall, the projection having an elongate passage configured forreceiving a hinge pin.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, the engagement means mayfurther comprise a recess adjacent to the projection, the recess being afemale interlocking member configured for receiving a male interlockingmember of the neighboring concrete unit. In one example, the projectionmay be a male interlocking member configured to be received in a femaleinterlocking member of the adjacent concrete unit. In an alternativeexample, the projection may be configured to be substantially in anabutting relation with a side wall of the adjacent concrete unit.

In another embodiment, a concrete assembly is provided, which has atleast first and second modular concrete units connected by hingingattachment. Each unit in the assembly has a top surface, a bottomsurface, and at least three side walls extending between the top andbottom surfaces. The side walls include at least one engagement meansconfigured for hinging attachment to a neighboring concrete unit. Theconcrete assembly also includes at least one hinge pin connecting theengagement means of the first concrete unit and the engagement means ofthe second concrete unit.

In this embodiment, each engagement means of the at least first andsecond modular concrete units may comprise a projection extendingoutwardly from the side wall of each concrete unit. The projection mayhave an elongate passage configured for receiving the hinge pin, and atleast a portion of the projection on the first concrete unit may bealigned with at least a portion of the engagement means on the secondconcrete unit.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, the engagement means of thefirst concrete unit may further comprise a recess adjacent to theprojection extending from the first concrete unit, and the projectionextending from the second concrete unit is configured for interlockingwith the recess of the first concrete unit. In one example, theengagement means of the second concrete unit may further comprise arecess adjacent to the projection extending from the second concreteunit, and the projection extending from the first concrete unit isconfigured for interlocking with said recess of the second concreteunit. In an alternative example, the projection may extend from thefirst concrete unit and be configured to be substantially in an abuttingrelation with the side wall of the second concrete unit.

The hinge pin connecting the concrete units may comprise at least onesection made of bendable material.

In the concrete assembly, the first and second concrete units may bespaced from each other by an interstice defined by the alignment of theprojection of the first concrete unit with the projection of the secondconcrete unit.

According to one aspect of the concrete assembly disclosed herein, oneof the concrete units may be thinner than the other concrete unit. Inthis embodiment, the projection extending from the thinner concrete unithas a shorter length than the projection of the thicker concrete unit.Preferably, the elongate passages in the projections of the thicker andthinner units are located substantially the same distance from the topsurface of each concrete unit.

In the concrete assembly disclosed herein, each concrete unit may have ashape selected from the group consisting of triangles, rectangles andhexagons. In this embodiment, the first and second concrete units may bea combination of shapes and sizes, said combination being one oftriangle/triangle of the same size, triangle/triangle of differentsizes, rectangle/rectangle of the same size, rectangle/rectangle ofdifferent sizes, hexagon/hexagon of the same size, hexagon/hexagon ofdifferent sizes, triangle/rectangle, triangle/hexagon, andrectangle/hexagon. The triangles are one of equilateral triangles, righttriangles and isosceles triangle, and the rectangles are one of squaresand non-squares.

The concrete assembly may comprise a plurality of concrete units. Inthis embodiment, at least three of the plurality of units may becomprised of two right triangles and one equilateral triangle, and thethree units are connected to each other to define a square shape.

In another embodiment, the concrete assembly has a plurality of concreteunits, with at least four of the plurality of units being equilateraltriangles of the same size, which are connected to each other to definea bigger equilateral triangle shape.

In another embodiment, the concrete assembly has a plurality of concreteunits, wherein at least six of the plurality of concrete units areequilateral triangles of the same size, and these six units areconnected to each other to define a hexagonal shape.

In the embodiments disclosed herein, the projection may extendvertically parallel to the plane of the side wall, and the elongatepassage is internally formed in the projection orthogonal to thevertical axis of the projection.

In a preferred embodiment, the elongate passage is in upper portions ofthe projection.

The top surface of the modular concrete unit may include an aperturelocated at the center of gravity. According to one aspect, the apertureis configured for receiving attachment features, for example, a liftingdevice and a road sign.

The top surface of the modular concrete unit may also include surfacefeatures, such as embossed markings, patterns and a combination thereof.The embossed markings and patterns may be configured to provideadvertisements, road markings, warnings and a combination thereof.

The modular concrete unit may also include a near field communicationdevice incorporated therein.

A further understanding of the functional and advantageous aspects ofthe disclosure can be realized by reference to the following detaileddescription and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the modular concreteunit according to the present disclosure, having an equilateral triangleshape;

FIG. 2( a) is a perspective view of two modular concrete units, eachhaving a right triangle shape;

FIG. 2( b) is a top view showing the connection portion of the twomodular concrete units of FIG. 2( a) as connected;

FIG. 3( a) is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of themodular concrete unit, showing an alternative engagement mechanism;

FIG. 3( b) is a top view showing the connection portion of the modularconcrete unit of FIG. 3( a), as connected with another modular concreteunit;

FIG. 4( a) is a top view of two modular concrete units, showing anotheralternative engagement mechanism;

FIG. 4( b) is an enlarged top view showing the connection portion of thetwo modular concrete units of FIG. 4( a) as connected;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two modular concrete units, each havingdifferent sizes and different thicknesses;

FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b) are perspective views of a concrete assembly, shownfrom opposite sides;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the concrete assembly shown in FIG. 6( b);

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a complex concrete assembly showing theinteroperability of the scalable modular unit geometries;

FIG. 9( a) is an enlarged perspective view of projections, showinghinging attachment;

FIG. 9( b) is an enlarged top view of projections, showing hingingattachment;

FIG. 10( a) is an enlarged perspective view of one example of a hingepin, showing a straight front end section and an upwardly extended rearend section;

FIG. 10( b) is a an enlarged perspective view of the hinge pin of FIG.10( a), where the front end section has been bent for secure attachment;

FIG. 11 (a) is an enlarged perspective view of another example of ahinge pin having a bushing;

FIG. 11( b) is a side view of FIG. 11( a);

FIG. 12( a) to (e) show perspective views of portions of the two modularconcrete units showing the hinging attachment and a gap between surfacesof the modular concrete units, wherein FIG. 12( a) shows adjacent unitshinged upward 4 degrees of angle, FIG. 12( b) shows adjacent unitshaving no hinging angle with the hinge pin removed, and the concreteunits are generally parallel to one another, FIG. 12( c) shows adjacentunits hinged downward 4 degrees of angle; FIG. 12( d) shows one modularunit removed, but including hinging attachment and FIG. 12( e) shows onemodular unit completely removed;

FIGS. 13( a), (b) and (c) are side views of the hinged structure shownin FIG. 12 respectively;

FIG. 14 (a) to (c) depicts a hinge pin installation procedure where FIG.14 (a) shows perspective views of the hinge tool and the hinge portionof a pair of modular units prior to engaging the hinge pin; FIG. 14 (b)is a partially broken-away sectional view, showing the rear end of thehinge pin inserted in the hinge tool, and the front end section havingpassed through the projections of both the modular units, therebyforming a hinged structure; and FIG. 14 (c) is a partial view of thehinged structure showing only one modular unit, and the front endsection of the hinge pin bent by the hinge tool for more secureattachment;

FIG. 15( a) to (c) are side views of FIG. 14( a) to (c), respectively;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the modular concrete unit shown with aconcrete lifter;

FIG. 17 is a view showing the modular concrete unit being dropped in bythe concrete lifter;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit, having a postplaced on a support plate attached thereto;

FIG. 20( a) is a side view of FIG. 19, and FIG. 20( b) is a view of thepost placed on the support plate seen from the underside thereof, alsoshowing an extension bar protruding downwardly;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit, havingembossment surface features;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit having ahandicapped sign on its top surface;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit having acommercial logo marked on its top surface;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a concrete assembly with its topsurface having a convex configuration;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a concrete assembly with its topsurface having a concave configuration;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a concrete assembly and showing smallerequilateral triangular units which replace a larger triangular unit; and

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a modular concrete unit having ahexagonal shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments and aspects of the disclosure will be described withreference to details discussed below. The following description anddrawings are illustrative of the disclosure and are not to be construedas limiting the disclosure. Numerous specific details are described toprovide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventionaldetails are not described in order to provide a concise discussion ofembodiments of the present disclosure.

As used herein, the terms, “comprises” and “comprising” are to beconstrued as being inclusive and open ended, and not exclusive.Specifically, when used in the specification and claims, the terms,“comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean the specifiedfeatures, steps or components are included. These terms are not to beinterpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps orcomponents.

As used herein, the term “exemplary” means “serving as an example,instance, or illustration,” and should not be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other configurations disclosed herein.

The selected embodiments as described below are directed to a range ofmodular concrete units that can be hinged to neighboring concrete units.The hinging attachment prevents undue movements of the concrete units.At the same time, it allows the concrete system to maintain sufficientsurface flexibility to accommodate the pounding and loading from trafficon the concrete pavement or movement due to substrate instability. Forexample, the modular concrete units of the present disclosure that areconnected by the hinging mechanism allow for relative movement thatfollow the natural contours of the underlying base or foundation of theroads.

The hinged structure is also designed to have a gap between adjacentmodular units. This has environmental benefits because it allows waterto seep in through the interstices and replenish the water-table. Thesystem becomes what is known in the industry as a pervious pavement. Inaddition, there will also be a reduced load on the storm water drainsand natural water courses. In contrast, continuously paved roads channelwater into the storm sewers and inhibit it from percolating into theground, which can result in heavy loads on the storm water sewers andcreates other environmental concerns downstream.

The modular units and a system made of such units are relatively easy toinstall, reduce the onsite time for installation, and provideopportunities for maintaining and servicing specific areas with minimaldisruption. The removable modular concrete assembly of the presentdisclosure also reduces urban heat island effect. A further advantageincludes allowing for the utility heads to remain beneath the system,rather than have to be smoothly integrated into the surface as is thecase for manhole covers, drains, utility valves, etc. The structure ofthe modular units of the present disclosure enables a concrete assemblyto be readily scalable, as it can accommodate different shapes and size,as well as different thicknesses of the units. Such a structure wouldallow designing a concrete system that can fit not only in relativelysmall area, but also any spaces of various sizes and shapes, and alsoconform to various contours of the underlying road structure.

Moreover, the present disclosure provides various additional featuresthat can enhance and/or add functions of the concrete pavement.

These and other aspects of the present disclosure are discussedherebelow with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the modular concrete unit isshown at 10. In this embodiment, the modular unit 10 is of anequilateral triangle shape having three equal side walls 12. Each sidewall 12 has at least one engagement means 14 configured for hingingattachment to a neighboring modular concrete unit.

The engagement means 14 comprises at least one projection 16 whichextends outwardly from the side wall. An elongate passage 15, which isinternally formed in the projection 16, extends generally horizontallyto the plane of the side wall 12. The elongate passage 15 is configuredto receive a hinge pin 90 (shown, for example, in FIG. 10), such thatthe hinge pin 90 passes through the elongate passage 15, and thenthrough an elongate passage formed in a neighboring concrete unit'sprojection, thereby connecting the two neighboring concrete unitstogether.

The concrete unit may include an aperture 120 around the centre ofgravity. The aperture 120 is configured for accommodating various roadand traffic signs, and other attachment features, as will be discussedin detail later.

FIG. 1 shows one exemplary embodiment of the engagement means 14 whichfurther include a recess 18 located adjacent to the projection 15. Therecess 18 serves as a female member for interlocking with a projectionextending outwardly from an adjacent concrete unit.

The alternative interlocking feature shown in FIG. 1 will be discussedin more detail with reference to FIG. 2. It is to be noted, however,that the present disclosure is not restricted to the engagement meanshaving the interlocking feature, but is also directed to an alternativeengagement means, an example of which is shown in FIG. 3. In anotheralternative embodiment, the present disclosure also includes hingingattachment mechanism having a modified version of interlocking feature,which will be discussed with reference to another exemplary embodimentshown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 2( a), two modular units having a right triangle shapeare shown at 20 a and 20 b. The modular unit 20 a includes a recess 18 aextending inwardly from the side wall 22 a. The recess 18 a isconfigured for interlocking with a projection of a neighboring modularunit, for example, the projection 16 b extending from the side wall 22 bof a modular unit 20 b. As such, the projection 16 b of the neighboringunit 20 b serves as a male member for interlocking with the recess 18 aof the concrete unit 20 a.

In this embodiment, the neighboring unit 20 b may also include a recess,such that a pair of the recess/projection on the unit 20 a interlockswith a pair of the projection/recess on the unit 20 b, as shown in FIG.2( b).

The projections 16 a and 16 b each have elongate passages 15 a and 15 b,respectively, which extend orthogonal to the plane of their respectiveside walls. The elongate passages 15 a and 15 b are configured forreceiving a hinge pin 90 (shown, for example, in FIG. 9).

During installation, the projections 16 a and 16 b interlock with therecesses 18 b and 18 a, respectively, while the hinge pin which passesthrough the elongate passages 15 a and 15 b of the projections 16 a and16 b, thereby securing and connecting the two units 20 a and 20 btogether. The top view of the modular units 20 a and 20 b connectedtogether are shown in FIG. 2( b).

Although the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 include interlockingfeature, the present disclosure can be embodied by using variousalternative engagement means. One example of such alternativeembodiments is shown in FIG. 3 where the engagement means does notinclude an interlocking means.

Referring to FIG. 3, the concrete unit 30 of the alternative embodimenthas a projection 34 with an elongate passage 35 formed therein. Duringinstallation, concrete units having the structure of the modular unit 30are brought together in such a manner as to position the elongatepassage 35 of the projection 34 in alignment with an elongate passage 35of the neighboring unit's projection 34, thereby allowing the hinge pin90 (shown in, for example, FIG. 10) to pass through the two elongatepassages 34 and connect the two neighboring units 30 together. In thisalternative embodiment, the projections are configured such that theycan be substantially in abutment relation with the projection of theneighboring concrete unit. The top view of two of the connection portionof the modular unit 30 connected together are shown in FIG. 3( b).

Another alternative engagement mechanism is shown in FIG. 4, whichincorporates a combination of the above-mentioned two alternativeembodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, a first modular concrete unit 40 has an engagementmeans comprised of a projection 44 alone, and a second modular concreteunit 50 has a set of engagement means comprised of a projection 54 and arecess 56 formed on the side wall 52. The projection 44 of the firstunit is 40 is configured for interlocking with the recess 56 of thesecond unit 50, whereas the projection 54 of the second unit 50 isconfigured for abutment with the side wall 42 of the first unit 40.Therefore, it will be appreciated that the projection 54 of the secondunit 50 has a smaller depth than the projection 44 of the first unit 40,but still share hinging mechanism with the longer projection 44 of thefirst unit 40 through a hinge pin that passes through elongate passages(not shown in FIG. 4) formed in the projections 44 and 54 of the firstand second units 40 and 50, respectively. The top view of the modularunits 40 and 50 connected together are shown in FIG. 4( b).

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is preferred that theelongate passage is located towards the top surface of the unit, ratherthan at its mid thickness. For example, the elongate passage is locatedin the upper portion of the projection. This design allows greaterflexibility in incorporating different thicknesses in a concreteassembly. Specifically, since the point of hinging attachment is in theupper portion of the projections, a modular unit of a smaller thicknesscan be attached to a thicker modular unit, while still enjoying the samehinge benefits. FIGS. 5 and 6 show examples of this aspect of thepresent disclosure. In all the preferred embodiments, the elongatepassage in the projections of the thicker and thinner units are locatedsubstantially the same distance from the top surface of each concreteunit.

Referring to FIG. 5, the modular unit 60 has a thickness smaller thanthat of the neighboring modular unit 10. Accordingly, the projection 64extending outwardly from, and parallel to the side wall 62 of themodular unit 60, has a shorter length than that of the projection 14extending outwardly from, and parallel to the side wall 12 of themodular unit 10. Except for the length, the projection 64 has the samedimension as the projection 14 of the modular unit 10. Likewise, therecess 68 has the same dimension as the recess 18, except for itslength. Despite the difference in the length of each projection, thelocation of the elongate passage 65 and 15 is the same distance from thetop surface of the respective unit. Therefore, the shorter projection 64in the thinner modular unit 60 still allows for hinging attachments withthe other units of different thicknesses.

The present disclosure also enables flexibility in incorporating notonly different thicknesses, but also different shapes and sizes in aconcrete assembly. Referring to FIGS. 6( a), 6(b) and 7, a concreteassembly shown at 70 incorporates a modular unit 60 of a smallerthickness than the other units. The assembly 70 also incorporates unitshaving different shapes, such as a rectangle 72, equilateral triangle 10and right triangles 20 a and 20 b. The shapes and dimensions of modularunits, and the pattern in which the units are arranged as shown in theassembly 70 are only exemplary, and any other shapes and combinationsthereof are included in the present disclosures. For example, therectangles may include squares and non-square rectangles. Furthermore,as shown in FIG. 27, a modular unit 180 having a hexagon shape can beincluded in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Due to the flexibility, the modular units according to the presentdisclosure enable easy and convenient scaling of the system. Forexample, as shown in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, the equilateral triangle 10 andthe two right triangles 20 a and 20 b can be arranged and attached toeach other to form a rectangle shape (specifically, a square). Theseunits, with hinging mechanisms positioned accordingly, can replace onemodular unit 72.

In another example as shown in FIG. 26, smaller equilateral triangles 11can be produced with each side wall having half the length of the sidewall of the larger triangle 10. The smaller triangles 11 are designedwith hinges positioned such that four of such units 11 can replace onelarger triangle 10. Likewise, other combination of shapes and sizes canbe easily created by using the modular units of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, a more complex assembly is shown at 80. Theassembly 80 incorporates a number of different modular units(equilateral triangles 10, smaller equilateral triangles 74, righttriangles 20 a and 20 b, and rectangles 72). The assembly 80 alsoincorporates various arrangements of the modular units in a number ofdifferent patterns.

The modular units according to the present disclosure enable easyscaling of the system. In one example, the small equilateral triangles11 can be designed such that each side wall has half the length of theside wall of the larger triangle 10, with hinges positioned such thatfour small units 11 can replace one large unit 10. This principal can beapplied to all the unit shapes.

The modular units are attached to their neighboring concrete units bythe hinging mechanisms. Referring to FIGS. 9( a) and (b), the hingingattachment is exemplified, showing two projections 86 a and 86 b, eachfrom neighboring concrete units (not shown), connected together by ahinge pin 90 passing through the elongate passages 85 a and 85 b formedin the projections 86 a and 86 b, respectively.

Examples of a hinge pin that can be used in the present embodiment isshown at 90 in FIGS. 10 and 11. Referring to FIG. 10( a) the hinge pin90 is comprised of an elongate rod section 92, a front end section 94and a rear end section 96. Preferably, the rear end section 96 extendsupwardly from the distal end of the elongate rod section 92, therebyforming a generally L-shaped pin. The vertical rear end section 96allows the hinge pin 90 to gain easy access to, and removal from, theelongate passages. In a preferred embodiment, the front end section 94is made of bendable material, such that, upon installment, the front endsection 94 is bent as shown in FIG. 10( b) to form a bend 95, therebyproviding more secure attachment. The hinge pin may be made fromstainless steel for its corrosion resistant and strength properties.Referring to FIGS. 11( a) and (b), in one specific embodiment, the hingepin may further include a bushing 98 to provide improved durability andimpact resistance. For these purposes, bushing 98 may be made frommaterials having a low compression set properties, such as a highdurometer rubber or polyurethane.

The hinged structure formed by the modular units of the presentdisclosure is designed to have a gap between the surfaces of adjacentmodular units. The gap provides a number of environmental benefits, forexample, allowing water to drain between the pavers and then percolatethrough the substrate and eventually replenish the water-table.Furthermore, the gap allows for the relative movement between theadjacent modular units.

This aspect of the present disclosure is exemplified in FIGS. 12 and 13,showing the hinged structure 100 (a)-(c) between two modular units 102 aand 102 b. Due to the hinging attachment through the hinge pin 90connecting the two projections 85 a and 85 b, two adjacent units 102 aand 102 b can accommodate movement relative to each other. The movementcan create a larger gap 104 at the bottom portion of the hingedstructure, as shown at 100 a in FIG. 12( a). Alternatively, the movementcan create a larger gap 104 at the top portion of the hinged structureas shown at 100 c in FIG. 129( c). In the drawing, the gap is shown asabout 4.0 degrees. However, depending on the engagement mechanism andother specifications in each module, the degree of the gap may vary.

The movement allows the concrete assembly made from the modular units tofollow the natural contours of the underlying base or foundation of theroads. For example, when the movement or natural contours create the gap104 at the top portion of the adjacent modular units, the concreteassembly 160 made therefrom may form a convex configuration as shown inFIG. 24. Alternatively, when the movement or natural contours create thegap 104 at the bottom portion of the modular units, the concreteassembly 170 made therefrom may form a convex configuration as shown inFIG. 25.

During installment, a tool may be used to facilitate the process. Oneexample of such a tool is shown at 110 in FIGS. 14 and 15. The hingetool 110 is configured for the hinge pin 90 to connect the projections85 a and 85 b of the modular units 102 a and 102 b, in order to producethe hinged structure 100. The hinge tool 110 comprises a recess 112 tohold the rear end section 96 of the L-shaped hinge pin 90. The slightbend 95 provides a slight friction fit to prevent the hinge pin 90falling out when being brought into the installation position. Thehorizontal wings 114 on the tool 110 provide the exact datum from thesurface of the modular units to the axis of the hinge pin 90, therebysimplifying pin installation.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, a typical hinge pin installation proceduremay include steps that (i) insert the vertically extended rear endsection 96 of the pin 90 into the recess 112 in the tool 110, (ii) slidethe skeg 116 of the tool down between adjacently placed units 102 a and102 b such that front end section 94 of the pin 110 is aligned into theelongate passage 85 a (shown in FIG. 9) of the projection 86 a, (iii)tap the back edge 118 of the tool with a hammer or work boot until thepin 110 has passed through the elongate passages 85 a and 85 b (shown inFIG. 9) and fully engaged both adjacent projections 86 a and 86 b, and(iv) lift the tool 110 vertically so as to disengage it from the pin 90.In one optional embodiment, the installation procedure further includesa step of placing the tool skeg 116 above the front end section 94 ofthe pin 90 and pressing down, such that the front end section is bentdownward, thereby forming a bend 95 to prevent the pin from disengagingthe two projections 86 a and 86 b. The removal of the pin is the reverseof the above except that a greater horizontal removal force is necessaryto force the pin out despite the bend at its tip. The hinge tool may befabricated from steel.

The modular units of the present disclosure may further include anaperture around the centre of gravity, configured for accommodatingvarious attachment features. Referring to FIG. 16, the modular unit 10is shown with an aperture 120 configured for attachment to a concretelifter 122. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the aperture helps facilitateeasy dropping in, replacement and removal of modular units.

The aperture 120 may also be used for various other attachment features.Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, the modular unit 10 is shown with a post124 placed on a support plate 126. The support plate is connected to themodular unit 10 by way of a number of bolts 128. The post 124 may beused for a variety of traffic signs, warning devices (e.g. traffic conesor cats eyes) and/or advertisements. In one embodiment as shown in FIG.20( b), the post 124 is also provided with an extension bar 125 thatprotrudes downwardly into the aperture, to provide improved structuralintegrity.

The surface of the modular units may also be custom-designed to includevarious functional and/or aesthetic features. Referring to FIG. 21, themodular unit 130 has an aperture 120 on the top surface 132, as well asembossment features comprised of a number of different sizes oftriangles 134, 136, 138. The embossed surface not only providesaesthetic feature, but also results in anti-skid effect.

The top surface of the modular units may also be custom-designed to markroad signs (e.g., no parking, no standing, man hole location, etc.) orvarious logos.

As one example, FIG. 22 shows a modular unit at 140, bearing ahandicapped sign 142. Therefore, the modular unit at 140 can beconveniently used in a parking lot.

Another example of the modular unit is shown at 150 in FIG. 23, whichbear a commercial logo 152.

The present disclosure also includes an embodiment where a modularconcrete unit has an NFC (near field communication device) incorporatedor embedded therein. An example of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 22at 144. The NFC 144 is a passive device that can be programmed to sendcommunications to an outside receiver. For example, each modular unitmay have a unique NFC that has its history (date of manufacture,concrete composition, serial number, etc.), or the NFC could countvehicles passing overhead and measure their loads. As another example,the NFC may be programmed to monitor whether a parking spot is occupied.

The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way ofexample, and it should be understood that these embodiments may besusceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should befurther understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to theparticular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope ofthis disclosure.

1. A modular concrete unit for load-bearing surfaces, comprising: a topsurface; a bottom surface, and at least three side walls extendingbetween the top and bottom surfaces, said side walls including at leastone engagement means configured for hinging attachment to a neighboringconcrete unit.
 2. The concrete unit according to claim 1, wherein theengagement means comprises a projection extending outwardly from theside wall, the projection having an elongate passage configured forreceiving a hinge pin.
 3. The concrete unit according to claim 2 whereinthe engagement means further comprises a recess adjacent to theprojection, the recess being a female interlocking member configured forreceiving a male interlocking member of the neighboring concrete unit.4. The concrete unit according to claim 3 wherein the projection isconfigured to be substantially in an abutting relation with a side wallof the adjacent concrete unit.
 5. The concrete unit according to claim 3wherein the projection is a male interlocking member configured to bereceived in a female interlocking member of the adjacent concrete unit.6. The concrete unit according to claim 2 wherein the projection extendsvertically parallel to the plane of the side wall, and the elongatepassage is internally formed in the projection orthogonal to thevertical axis of the projection.
 7. The concrete unit according to claim6 wherein the elongate passage is in upper portions of the projection.8. The concrete unit according to claim 1 wherein the top surfaceincludes an aperture located at the center of gravity.
 9. The concreteunit according to claim 5 wherein the aperture is configured forreceiving attachment features selected from the group consisting of alifting device and a road sign.
 10. The concrete unit according to claim1 wherein the top surface includes surface features selected from thegroup consisting of embossed markings, patterns and a combinationthereof.
 11. The concrete unit according to claim 10 wherein theembossed markings and patterns are configured to provide advertisements,road markings, warnings and a combination thereof.
 12. The concrete unitaccording to claim 1, further including a near field communicationdevice incorporated therein.
 13. A concrete assembly comprising: (i) atleast first and second modular concrete units connected by hingingattachment, each unit comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface, andat least three side walls extending between the top and bottom surfaces,said side walls including at least one engagement means configured forhinging attachment to a neighboring concrete unit; and (ii) at least onehinge pin connecting the engagement means of the first concrete unit andthe engagement means of the second concrete unit.
 14. The concreteassembly according to claim 13, wherein each engagement means of the atleast first and second modular concrete units comprises a projectionextending outwardly from the side wall of each concrete unit, theprojection having an elongate passage configured for receiving the hingepin, and at least a portion of the projection on the first concrete unitis aligned with at least a portion of the engagement means on the secondconcrete unit.
 15. The concrete assembly according to claim 14, wherein:the engagement means of the first concrete unit further comprises arecess adjacent to the projection extending from the first concreteunit, and the projection extending from the second concrete unit isconfigured for interlocking with the recess of the first concrete unit.16. The concrete assembly according to claim 15, wherein: the engagementmeans of the second concrete unit further comprises a recess adjacent tothe projection extending from the second concrete unit, and theprojection extending from the first concrete unit is configured forinterlocking with said recess of the second concrete unit.
 17. Theconcrete assembly according to claim 15, wherein: the projectionextending from the first concrete unit is configured to be substantiallyin an abutting relation with the side wall of the second concrete unit.18. The concrete unit according to claim 14 wherein the projectionextends vertically parallel to the plane of the side wall, and theelongate passage is internally formed in the projection orthogonal tothe vertical axis of the projection.
 19. The concrete assembly accordingto claim 13, wherein the hinge pin comprises at least one section madeof bendable material.
 20. The concrete assembly according to claim 13,wherein the first and second concrete units are spaced from each otherby an interstice defined by the alignment of the projection of the firstconcrete unit with the projection of the second concrete unit.
 21. Theconcrete assembly according to 13, wherein one of the concrete units isthinner than the other concrete unit.
 22. The concrete assemblyaccording to 21, wherein the projection extending from the thinnerconcrete unit has a shorter length than the projection of the thickerconcrete unit.
 23. The concrete assembly according to 22 wherein theelongate passages in the projections of the thicker and thinner unitsare located substantially the same distance from the top surface of eachconcrete unit.
 24. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, whereineach concrete unit has a shape selected from the group consisting oftriangles, rectangles and hexagons.
 25. The concrete assembly accordingto claim 24, wherein the first and second concrete units have acombination of shapes and sizes, said combination being one oftriangle/triangle of the same size, triangle/triangle of differentsizes, rectangle/rectangle of the same size, rectangle/rectangle ofdifferent sizes, hexagon/hexagon of the same size, hexagon/hexagon ofdifferent sizes, triangle/rectangle, triangle/hexagon, andrectangle/hexagon.
 26. The concrete assembly according to claim 25,wherein the triangles are one of equilateral triangles, right trianglesand isosceles triangle, and the rectangles are one of squares andnon-squares.
 27. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, whereinthe at least two concrete units are a plurality of concrete units andwherein at least three of said plurality of units are comprised of tworight triangles and one equilateral triangle, said three units beingconnected to each other to define a rectangular shape.
 28. The concreteassembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least two concrete unitsare a plurality of concrete units, and wherein at least four of saidplurality of units are equilateral triangles of the same size, said fourunits being connected to each other to define a bigger equilateraltriangle shape.
 29. The concrete assembly according to claim 13, whereinthe at least two concrete units are a plurality of concrete units, andwherein at least six of the plurality of concrete units are equilateraltriangles of the same size, said six units being connected to each otherto define a hexagonal shape.